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CPA Firm Sites—Dos and Don’ts

DO register the domain yourself . A third party
can easily register it in their name, making themselves an
administrator—then your Web site becomes their property.

DO present a précis of your practice on the home page
. Don’t use a “Welcome” message.

DON’T use frivolous graphics, which often turn off visitors
. If used, graphics should relate to the text and help
communicate a message to set you apart from the competition.

DON’T use Flash . It takes too long to load
and isn’t worth the extra cost.

DON’T complicate the site’s navigation with multiple
subtopics . They could confuse or mislead visitors.

DO consider how visitors read your site .
Eye-tracking visualization studies indicate that Web visitors read
sites in an F-shaped pattern, starting with horizontal movement across
the banner, left to right, returning to the left side, then down to
the first paragraph.

DO be succinct . If your home page is not
concise, visitors will not bother to navigate to secondary pages.

DO keep secondary pages easy to read . They
should explain the home page content in greater detail and delve
deeper into your practice.

DON’T include fluff, e specially adjectives
that take up space and mean nothing. What’s important is not what you
say about yourself, but your experience and client testimonials.

DO have a separate Web site if you also provide investment
advisory services . As an investment adviser, the
firm has to abide by several regulatory and professional guidelines;
it’s important to include text assuring conformance to these
regulations.

DO design your site to be different . Beware
of the cookie-cutter look, and don’t be afraid to stand out from the
competition.

DON’T use bright primary colors on the site’s background
, particularly white text on red or royal blue. Content
will be hard to read, and visitors will tune out.

DO describe your area of specialization .
Potential clients may not be aware of the profession’s boundaries or
definitions.

DO communicate trust and credibility . You’re
in a personal service business, and nothing is more important to a
client than knowing you can be trusted.

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